Printing photos - colour profiles

[8bit]

First, mods - I put this in here instead of the Computers and Gadgets section because it specifically pertains to printing photos and printer/monitor colour calibration, so figured I'd get a better chance of help in the Photography section.

Right, I bought a new photo printer (Epson Expression Photo XP-970) recently and when I print a photo from Lightroom etc., the colours don't look exactly like they do on the monitor. I previously had an ancient Canon photo printer and it would produce prints that looked extremely close to the on-screen image.

I calibrate my monitor periodically using DisplayCAL and a DataColor Spyder colourometer device. I presume it's not as simple as telling the printer (via Windows) to use that same calibration file, or is it? Hoping it's not an entirely manual process of trial and error?!

[Simpo Two]

Fortunately it's a jungle I've never had to explore. I found very early on that Adobe RGB 1998 worked so left it at that! Mind you I don't make prints; on the few occasions I did, I sent them to Photobox and they looked excellent. Maybe I was just lucky.

Don't forget the paper you print on makes a difference too. There are just so many steps between what hits the sensor and what hits the paper. In-camera processing (if shooting JPG), post-processing, the step from computer to printer, from printer to paper and from transmitted light to reflected light...

[sociopath]

It's years since I bothered, as I don't shoot professionally any longer, but I seem to remember you could do exactly that, ie specify the calibration to use, in the printer dialogue

[ktcanuck]

Many years since I did this but, at that time, you could often get a profile for the specific paper/printer you are using. I calibrated my monitor (like you did), my scanner (using a reference target) and my printer and got very good results.

[_Hoppers]

Have you made sure LR and the printer driver aren't both applying colour correction?

[Craikeybaby]

The printer should not be using the monitor calibration file, it should be using a calibration file fo the printer/inks/paper combination that you are using.